Seesaw and ironing-board.



PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905.

G. W. FAIRBANKS.

SBESAW AND IRONING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1904.

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ATTORNEYS No. 800,434. I PATENTED SEPT. 26, 1905. G. W. FAIRBANKS. SEESAW AND IRONING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29,1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT rrrca.

SEESAW AND IRONlNG-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1905.

Application filed July 29, 1904. Serial no. 218,670.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GLENN WVALLACE FAIR- BANKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Blue Rapids, in the county of Marshall and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Seesaw and Ironing-Board, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to seesaws and ironing-boards; and its object is to produce a seesaw of simple construction having attachments which will readily adapt the same for use as an ironing-board.

The invention concerns itself especially with the means for supporting the board, for adjusting the height thereof, and for securing the same against movement when used as an ironing-board.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and definitely set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the device, representing the same when used as a seesaw. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the board near one extremity thereof, showing a portion of its contiguous parts. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken at one extremity of the board, in-

tended to illustrate the manner of attaching a folding brace which adapts the seesaw to be used as an ironing-board, this view being upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is substantial] ya side elevation of the article when used as an ironing-board, a portion of this view being broken away and shown in section. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a cross-bar constituting a part of the frame of the article and illustrating the manner of stepping or supporting a brace for the board. Fig. 6 is a perspective representing a portion of a cross-bar, showing means for stepping a second brace for the board; and Fig. 7 is avertical central cross-section taken through the board and a portion of its supporting-frame.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a base, preferably substantially of rectangular form, as shown, comprising longitudinally-disposed sills 2 and cross-bars 3, 4, and 5, the cross-bars 3 and 5 being placed adjacent to the extremities of the sills 2, as indicated.

An A-frame 6 is supported upon the base 1 in the manner shown, the said frame being formed of inclined stringers 7, the upper extremities whereof attach together in pairs, as indicated. To the lower extremities of two of these stringers 7 hinges 8 are provided, which attach to the upper faces of the sills 2, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The opposite bars or stringers of the frame are conrfect-ed by cross-bars 9, preferably mortised into the same, as shown. The stringers 7 which lie opposite to the stringers 7, are preferably provided with reduced extremities 10 of the form shown most clearly in Fig. 4, and the tips 11 thereof are adapted to be received in notches 12, formed in the upper faces of the sills 2, as shown. There are a plurality of these notches, preferably four, as shown, and these notches have abrupt outer faces 13 and inclined bottoms or inner faces 14. The tips 11 are adapted to be received in the angle at the bottom of the notches, and the lower faces 15 of the reduced extremities 10, which lie adjacent to the inclined faces 14, are preferably convexed or rounded, asshown in Fig. 4.

The upper extremities of the stringers 7 are provided with alining openings 16, which receive the reduced extremities 17 of the crosshead 18, and this cross head supports the board 19, the same being disposed longitudinally with respect to the base 1, as will appear. In its construction the board 19 comprises a main piece 20, which is reinforced near its middle portion by stiffencrs 21, and below these stiffeners 21 a guide-board 22 is provided. This guide board, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, incloses a longitudinal guideway 23 beneath the main piece 20, the said guideway being intended to receive a tongue 24, which extends into the same and upon the outer extremity whereof there is mounted a seat or chair-body 25. The board 20 near its extremities is ornamented by horse-heads 26, which are provided on their bottom faces with dowels 27, received in openings 28 in the upper face of the board, as indicated.

Helical springs 29 attach to hooks 39 on the under sides of the board 19, as indicated, the said springs being inclined downwardly and attaching, respectively, to the cross-bars 3 and 5.

In Fig. 1 the device is illustrated when used as a seesaw, it being understood that the board 19 will rock freely upon the axis of the crosshead 18. The rocking movement is assisted by the springs 29, as will be readily understood, which have a tendency to return the board to its normal horizontal position.

In order to adapt the device for use as an ironing-board, braces 30 and 31 are provided, the same being attached, as shown, to the under side of the board 19 by means of suitable hinges 32. The brace 30 is stepped at its lower extremity in a notch or recess 33,which is formed in the upper face and outer edge of the cross-bar 5, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1. The brace 31 is stepped in a recess 34,, which is formed in the upper edge of a cross-bar 9, the said recess being preferably provided on its under face with a face-plate or wear-plate These braces 30 and 31 are maintained in a folded position when the device is being used as a seesaw. They are adapted to fold outwardly against the under face of the board 19, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, and they are retained in their folded position by means of turn-buttons 36, attached to the under faces of blocks 37, as indicated. The forward faces of the blocks 37, lying adjacent to the ends of the braces, are preferably formed with recesses 38, as shown, receiving the extremities of the braces, as will be readily understood.

Referring especially to Fig. 7, it will appear that the guide-board 22 is mortised into the lower face of the cross-head 18. In this construction it is considered advantageous, as the longitudinal stiffness of the board is enhanced thereby. The consequent reduction of strength of the cross-head 18 is considered of little moment because of the fact that the board 20 extends continuously throughout the length of the cross-head, so that the load is not concentrated over the middle point of the cross-head.

Evidently the construction of the A-frame which has been described enables the board when the device is used as a seesaw to be supported at different heights in a simple manner, and this adjustability is desirable, as will be readily understood. It should also be evident that when the device is being used as an ironing-board the braces 30 and 31 operate very effectively to secure the board in a horizontal position, it being understood that the heads 26 would be removable, so as to adapt the board under these circumstances for the purpose of ironing. If desired, the springs 29 may be removed from their hooks 39 when the device is being used as an ironing-board. Removing the springs in this manner may be desirable in ironing skirts or similar articles, which would be applied to the board so as to surround the same while a portion lying upon the upper face of the board is being ironed. The fact that the extremities of the board overhang or project beyond their support is considered advantageous for the reason thatit facilitates the operation of ironing in the manner suggested.

When the article is being used as a seesaw by children having different weights, evidently the one or the other of the seats 25 may be extended or drawn out by reason of its tongue 24:, so that the two children upon the board could be brought substantially into equilibrium.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, in combination, an A-frame having oppositely-inclined members pivotally attached together at their upper ends, a board supported at the point of attachment of said members, a base supporting said frame, a movable brace attached to said board and stepped in said base, and a second movable brace attached to said board and stepped upon said frame.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a base comprising oppositely-disposed sills having recesses in the upper face thereof and cross-bars connecting the same, an A-frame comprising inclined members pivotally connected together at their upper ends, a rocking board supported upon said A-frame, and a hinged connection between said A-frame and said base at one side, the said members of said frame opposite said hinged connection being received in said recesses.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a base comprising oppositely-disposed sills having recesses in the upper face thereof and cross-bars connecting the same, an A-frame, the members whereof are pivotally attached at their upper ends, said frame having -a hinged connection with the upper faces of said sills at one side and being received in said recesses at the other side, a rocking board supported upon said A-frame, folding braces carried by the under side of said rocking board, said A-frame having a crossbar, means for stepping one of said braces in said cross-bar, and means for stepping the other of said braces in a cross-bar of said base.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GLENN WALLACE FAIRBANKS.

Witnesses:

J. Gr. STRONG, O. D. SMITH. 

